miércoles, 1 de febrero de 2012

Interview: TÖT (France)

This band was born, there are already 20 years ago. 20 years in 2012, it's their birthday and we are all invited! let's get a ride in the South of France to talk with TÖT!

1. For those who don't know TÖT, can you please, introduce the band, his history and the members?

TÖT is a french band from Marseille town, South-East France, playing EBM since 1992. At the beginning, we only had a sampler Casio SK200 and a drum machine Boss DR5. Sounds were raw, industrial, unbearable. The only goal was to have fun, make noise, drink beer. Twenty years later we’re still here !

After many tribulations, the band is a trio since 2004 : Fred T (voice), DMZ (machines), Zed (machines)

2. How did you get this name?

Fred T : As a kid I was a die hard fan of the band DEATH IN JUNE and so I baptised my own band TOTENKOPF as a sort of tribute. Then I soon discovered that some other bands where named the same. Otherwise I did not want to be labeled politicaly. So I shortened the band’s name to TOT, wich could result in « dead people » in german, or « kill » if you add a umlaut on the letter O. And as I choosed an Aztec skull as logo, the name TÖT was adopted.

3. How do you start in music and do you work on different project? Tell us more about it....

All members have played in many bands since they were teens.

Fred T : begun his carreer in several Metal bands, then created TÖT in 1992. Also member of PRODROME17, GREU, HARHYLOKIN, PROTUBERANCE, MINESHAFT, ENGEL7, AROME ARTIFICIEL.

DMZ : bassist player in Punk band MILIEU CARCERAL, then in DEATH ROCK band LACRIMA CHRISTI, then created Electro-Dark band PRODROME17 in 1998. In TÖT since 2004, created Future Pop band OPKOD, then bassist an keyboard in Synthpop band AROME ARTIFICIEL.

It’s hard to answer. Songs are like your children. How can you prefer one to another ? Maybe « Scumbag » is representative

6. What is your source of inspiration (life, art, music, movies)?

Fred T : Main inspiration is life. I will quote british writer J.G. Ballard : « Reality, the greatest fiction ever »

7. Have you ever been released?

Many demo's since 1992 and one live release on Teknoire Records. Our carreer was so erratic that many people consider TÖT as a hoax, a sort of ghost band. But some of our songs gave us a sort of cult status. We got fans from all around the world, people at our gigs know lyrics of the songs. Even sometimes girls reconize us in the street ! We've come a long way, but our first studio album is about to be mastered in spring 2012.

8. How is the ebm scene in the South of France? Is it easy to make show, to promote his sound?

Few EBM bands in France, most of them from the North of the country. In Marseille there was a little EBM scene in the 90's : ART KINDER INDUSTRIE, DIGITAL BLOOD, ARS HERMETICA. In Nice there was WHAT’S. These bands could have been huge ! 1988-1992 was in intense period for alternative music. We missed the point. Sometimes we feel like survivors.

But we play often live because EBM is considered by club's owners to be connected to Gothic audience. Many Gothics in France in most town with universities. But no real public for us. EBM freaks are to few in France, and mostly in the North (belgian and german border).

South-East France is really NOT the place to be : surpopulation, polution, no jobs, expensive rents, aggressive rednecks everywhere, but it's where we've born and we must challenge with it everyday.

9. Are you connected with some others bands in your country or in a foreigner country?

We are in touch with FORETASTE in Lyon, STOLEARM and KARBU38 in Montpellier. But most bands we knew disbanded…

10. What do you think about this compilation?

Samplers are always the best way to discover new bands. You can download millions of tracks and forget them, but you can hold a record with you for years. In 1988 I bought « This is Electronic Body Music » sampler from Play It Again Sam. It changed my life and my vision of music… for ever… We have received very enthousiastic messages from Mexico and hope new fans will appreciate our tracks.